KEIR HARDIE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 304, 28 December 1907, Page 2

KEIR HARDIE.

I'cr Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Mr ICeir Ilardie arrived in Wellington to-night and was accorded a public welcome at a supper in the concert no oju. of tlie Town Hall. About 130 persons.' were, present. The Mayor, the lion. T. Y. llislop, presided. lie stated that their guest, in the whole, of his career, had exhibited self-abnegation and a determination to better the position of the class which required help, regardless of his own personal interests and comfort, The Hon. J. ltigg, M.L.C., endorsed the Mayor's remarks, and tlie Hon. W. J. McCardle, M.L.0.,, also spoke appreciatively of Mr ICeir Hardic. In responding, Mr Hardic said had he believed all he had read aPllome about New Zealand, and its extreme policy, he would have hesitated about risking his profession by being seen here. Ho conveyed a fraternal message from the Labor Party of the House of Commons. His visit to New Zealand had no political significance. Ho was "simply "here to meet old friends and campaigners In the early days of tlie movement at 1 Home. lie urged Imperial .conferences of the Labor Party, as they held Im perial conferences now, though Labor ; which was mostly affected by th< ' questions dealt with, was not represent cd. K his tour round the Dominioi 1 served, even indirectly, to bring thos connected with this movement in touclj and thereby making the way for : united policy in the future, it woul . not have been undertaken in vain.

BRUSH WITH AN INTERVIEWER. Per Press Association. Palmerston N., Last Night. A Manawatu Times representative had a brief but breezy interview with Mr Keir Hardie at the railway station yesterday afternoon as he passed through to Wellington. He declined to say any" thing about New Zealand. We'll, are you prepared to say something about your tour in India? "No, I will not," snapped Mr Hardie, "but I will say is that your editors ought to be ashamed of themselves. They are unscrupulous cads. You can publish that if you like.' "Certainly, with the greatest of pleasure," responded the pressman, "but don't you intend to explain your position and put yourself right with the public?" "jNo, I do not," replied Mr Hardic. "I have nothing to explain. I am not on trial. It is the editors who are on theirs; remember that.